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Gospel of Mark#61 ~ (15:42-16:20)

Started by Al Moak, October 13, 2004, 09:48:18 AM

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Al Moak

Mark 15:42-16:20
What Does It Really Mean To You?


What does Jesus' resurrection mean to you? Does it mean ANYTHING to you? Do you think of it as just a fairytale, or do you actually believe it? If you actually believe it, then, very importantly, does it have any effect on your daily life?

Joseph of Arimathea, according to the other Gospels, was a disciple, "but secretly, for fear of the Jews." We're told that he hoped for the kingdom of God. Like most of Jesus' disciples, however, Joseph was deeply disappointed by Jesus' death. He had probably come to the conclusion that Jesus' death on the Cross was the end. But still, because he had loved Jesus, he requested His body from Pilate, and his request was granted. So he took Him down from the Cross and placed Him in a new tomb. Three women of the followers of Jesus felt the same way Joseph did, so they came the next day to anoint Him with the burial spices. The rest of the disciples, too, having been close to each other for 3 years or so, were still together, probably sympathizing and weeping with one another.

Up until this time, all of Jesus' disciples had entertained a hope that Jesus truly was the Messiah, the Son of God. But now? Now they had to feel the bereavement, the frustration and the perplexity of what certainly seemed like the end of it all. Jesus now didn't seem to have been Who He claimed to be. Yet, thinking back over all the things He had done and said, and the Character He had displayed at all times, they just couldn't bring themselves to believe that He was an ordinary man. He hadn't seemed at all ordinary to them.

They didn't know what to think. They had had their hopes dashed, but they still loved their Master. They at least wanted to give Him a decent burial, and they wanted to stay together and continue at least some kind of "Jesus religion."

Even today there's a lot of that kind of religion around. The people involved in it see things pretty much the same way the disciples did. They can see perfectly well that Jesus' life and words were unusual and exemplary. But they are also completely convinced that He died and that the Cross ended everything. They tend to think that talk about Him being Son of God or Messiah is just religious nonsense and superstition. But they still want to maintain a "Jesus religion." They think that we should have high aims as He did and that we should love others as He did. And they believe we should get together in churches to reflect Jesus' love within a larger body. But, they say, let's not be involved in a crazy superstition about a risen, living Jesus! To them the Cross just marked the beginning of a symbolic religion.

But what about the evidence? What about the three women who found the stone rolled away from the tomb and an angel sitting inside? What about His appearance to the two disciples as they walked to Emmaus? What about His appearance to the eleven while they were sitting around commiserating with each other? What about His appearance to others as they were fishing? And especially - what about what the disciples did in response to His orders? After all, they did "turn the world upside down!" The last verse here tells us, "And those men went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the Word through the signs that followed.

Many so-called scholars have tried to prove that references to post-resurrection signs and wonders are later additions to the Gospel accounts. But they've failed in their attempt. Besides, there is the present-day evidence of the changed lives of many, many people who call themselves Christians and who claim to communicate with a living Lord.

To conclude these thoughts about evidence, let's just say that those who do not believe in Jesus' literal resurrection are willfully ignoring a huge body of evidence, a body of evidence that would be accepted in any courtroom in the world. And there will be a courtroom - at the end of this age. The risen Jesus Himself will be the Judge. Everyone will come before Him, and He'll be absolutely alive, and they'll all believe in His resurrection then!

All right, then, let's assume that the resurrection really happened. What does it mean to us? What effect should it have on our lives, our hopes, and our dreams? It should be fairly obvious, first of all, that a risen Lord is Lord indeed - that He really is running the show, that this age will conclude just as He said it would, with His return in glory and with judgement of the living and the dead.

Furthermore, if Jesus rose from the dead, then all that He claimed about Himself must be true! He really IS the Son of God, God the Son, come in the flesh into this hostile world to redeem people from their sins. If the resurrection is true, then the whole Bible is true, and God's plan of redemption has been working out through the ages, and people really have been "born again" through the work of the Spirit of God, Who has been sent from the throne by the living Christ!

The resurrection means that people who pray aren't just babbling in the dark, letting their superstition run away with them. It means that God really can affect your life and activities, and that He really can mend poor relationships and scrambled feelings. He really can make you into a new person - and it really is worth it!

It also means that Jesus' many remarks about the divine origin of the Scriptures must be true. So this Bible really is the Word of God. It means that Paul was telling the truth when he said, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." It means that Peter wasn't just kidding when he exhorted, "as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby."

Finally, it means that Jesus commission to His disciples is still in force.  He said, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen." In turn, that means that you and I - not just the pastor, but all of us - must reach out to every member of this community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It means that He's with us as we do so. It means that we can believe that our efforts will bear fruit, because the fruit is His, not ours.

Finally, brothers and sisters, it means that we worship a living Savior, that He is here with us this morning, that He knows our hearts, and that He will receive our worship. He hears our prayers, and blesses us with new life every day! We serve a living Savior!

Does all this matter to you? I hope so. If it does, and if it in fact means everything to you, then you have eternal life. On the other hand, though, If it means very little or nothing to you, then I have to tell you that you are facing the eternal wrath of the holy God. Which is it with you?



Chris & Margit Saunders

God bless you Al Moak,
a good and faithful servant,
nice to be back from Germany to read your words.
It was a bit Godless over there in some ways! lol. :)

Al Moak

I'm not exagerating to say that it's great to have you two back!  I'm not greatly surprised at the godlessness.  This world is truly almost ripe for the last day.